Arizona (6-2) is coming off a four-game sweep of Southeastern Louisiana last week and will now leave Tucson for the first time this season to take part in the Frisco College Baseball Classic in Texas this week. The event will give the Wildcats an opportunity to face three different teams in four games over four days.

UA split its first series of the season, but its four-game sweep last week has provided the team with some confidence heading into its games against Oklahoma, Dallas Baptist and Missouri.

The first matchup of the weekend will take place Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. MST against the Sooners. That will be followed by another meeting with Oklahoma on Friday at 11 a.m. MST. UA will then take on Dallas Baptist at 12 p.m. MST on Saturday followed by a matchup against Missouri at 11 a.m. MST on Sunday to wrap up the weekend.

As soon as Arizona's series against Southeastern Louisiana came to an end the eagerness to get to Frisco was clear for UA head coach Jay Johnson. His team last took part in the event back in 2017, and there certainly plenty of reasons Johnson is looking forward to the challenge of playing four games in four days. Outside of the competition level the Wildcats will see in Frisco, UA will get an opportunity to play a schedule that would be similar to what the team will see in the postseason.

Arizona has not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2017 so most of the players on the current team have not experienced what it is like to play in a tournament-like environment. The experience this week could prove to be valuable for the Wildcats considering they are projected to be a tournament team.

Though Johnson always works to remain focused on the current task at hand, he understands how much this week's experience in Texas could help his team down the line.

"The reason we're going to this tournament is I feel like it's one of the best tournaments in the country, A, in terms of how it's put on and, B, it has an NCAA Tournament feel to it," he said this week. "That's something I want our players to experience in terms of the quality of the teams, in terms of a neutral site venue. It's a great ballpark.

"And, I know they're really looking forward to it. I think it's unique where we're playing four day games. We're the first game of the day all four days, which I actually like that because it allows us to take batting practice and be in a little bit more of a normal routine. Whereas if you're playing the night game you don't get a chance to do that. ... Really what it all comes down to is being ready to play and making sure that we put ourselves in the best position to be ready to play when the game starts."

While Johnson said he will rely on his veteran players who have been on road trips previously to guide the team this week, there are also several key young players who have not yet been on the road away from Tucson for a college game yet. The UA coach has faith that their experiences as high school players will allow them to succeed, but there will still be plenty of advice coming down from the older Wildcats on the team especially with the event allowing fans and two of the teams being from neighboring areas.

"Sometimes with other fans it can get a little sped up in the box," third-year sophomore first baseman Branden Boissiere said. "I know it did for me my freshman year, so what I would tell them is to slow the game down and stick to your approach and do your thing in the box. We've done everything to get prepared for it, so just by breathing and sticking to your routine everything will be OK."